Need a little eggnog chai

When I was in Middle School my dad was my principal (he was also my principal in Elementary School – quite an experience).

Most mornings I’d ride to school with my dad and we would always stop at the Krispy Kreme donut shop next door to the campus. Dad would keep the car running and I run in grap myself a donut (lemon filled are still my favorite) and get dad a large cup of coffee.

I was thinking of Dad’s coffee this afternoon as I stopped by Starbucks and treated myself to a venti extra hot (175 degrees) eggnog chai (tis the season for eggnog). I wonder how Dad would have compared his coffee to my chai….

The arrival of eggnog at Starbucks in red cups is for the Ferguson family a sign of the holidays (which lots of people have written blogs about). Some in our family send one another text messages each time they enjoy an eggnog latte. With my discovery of eggnog chai I am hoping to join in the game this season.

Most years I work hard to resist letting Christmas start too early. I usually like to get through Thanksgiving first and tell everyone no decorations or Christmas music until after the 4th Thursday in November, “I don’t care how long the decorations have been up at Target.”

This year’s been different.

Hurricanes and stock market crashes have taken a toll on a lot of us here in Houston. The people I talk to everyday are tired, anxious and worried and perhaps carrying around more fears than hopes as we enter the final weeks of 2008.

So this year it seems that more than ever we need to know that “in the dark streets shineth an everlasting light” and that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Him (tonight).”
So yesterday I told our senior staff that we need a little Christmas… right this very minute.
If life was a musical we might have broken into song (ok some of us did).

And even though it’s a bit cliché – this year it’s really true.

We need a little Christmas now!